RDNA 2
RDNA 2 is a graphics processing unit (GPU) microarchitecture developed by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) as the successor to the RDNA 1 architecture. Announced on October 28, 2020, it introduces significant advancements in performance, efficiency, and feature support for gaming and professional workloads.[1][2] The architecture powers AMD's Radeon RX 6000 series of discrete graphics cards, including flagship models like the Radeon RX 6900 XT with 80 compute units, 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, and a 300 W thermal design power (TDP), as well as mid-range options such as the RX 6800 and RX 6800 XT. It also forms the basis for custom semi-custom system-on-chip (SoC) designs in consumer electronics, notably the GPUs integrated into Sony's PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, which launched in November 2020.[1][3][4] Key innovations in RDNA 2 include AMD Infinity Cache, a high-bandwidth, low-latency on-chip cache (up to 128 MB in high-end models) that reduces memory access latency and improves power efficiency; enhanced compute units with dedicated ray accelerators for hardware-accelerated ray tracing; and full support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, encompassing features like mesh shaders, variable rate shading (VRS), and sampler feedback. These elements enable up to 2× the performance of the prior RDNA 1-based Radeon RX 5700 XT in rasterization tasks and up to 54% better performance per watt, while also supporting AMD's FidelityFX suite of open-source effects for optimized rendering.[1][2][4] Beyond gaming, RDNA 2 extends to professional applications through the Radeon PRO W6000 series, such as the W6800 with 32 GB of GDDR6 memory, delivering up to 194% faster performance compared to previous-generation GCN architectures in tasks like CAD and media rendering. The architecture's 7 nm process node and architectural refinements contribute to its energy efficiency, with compute units offering improved performance per cycle. As of 2025, AMD continues to provide driver support for RDNA 2-based products, including security updates and optimizations.[4][5]Background
Development and announcement
AMD's development of the RDNA 2 GPU architecture followed the launch of its predecessor, RDNA 1, as part of a broader 7nm GPU roadmap initially outlined at Computex 2019, where the company detailed plans for next-generation Radeon graphics powered by the new architecture family.[6] Early indications of RDNA 2's role emerged in March 2020, when AMD confirmed during its Financial Analyst Day that the architecture would power custom GPUs for the upcoming PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles, marking a significant semi-custom collaboration.[7] Sony officially revealed the PlayStation 5's custom AMD RDNA 2-based graphics processor in its technical specifications announcement on March 18, 2020, emphasizing enhanced ray tracing and performance capabilities.[7] The architecture received its official unveiling on October 28, 2020, during AMD's dedicated "RDNA 2 Gaming" event, where CEO Lisa Su highlighted its advancements in gaming performance, ray tracing hardware, and efficiency for both discrete GPUs and consoles.[8] Microsoft simultaneously detailed the full integration of RDNA 2 features into the Xbox Series X and Series S, positioning them as the only next-generation consoles with complete hardware support for the architecture's capabilities, including variable rate shading and mesh shaders.[9] The first consumer products based on RDNA 2, the Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards, launched on November 18, 2020, with the RX 6800 and RX 6800 XT models leading the lineup.[8] This followed closely after the consoles' debuts: the Xbox Series X and Series S on November 10, 2020, and the PlayStation 5 on November 12, 2020, in select markets including North America and Japan.[10][11] In early 2025, AMD announced updates to its driver strategy for RDNA 2 hardware, introducing separate optimized code paths to maintain stability and support for Radeon RX 5000 and RX 6000 series GPUs while accelerating new features for later architectures.[5] This approach, clarified on November 2, 2025, ensures continued game optimizations and day-zero support for RDNA 2 without entering full maintenance mode, addressing concerns over long-term viability for the five-year-old architecture powering both discrete cards and consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.[5]Design goals and improvements
The primary design goals for AMD's RDNA 2 architecture centered on delivering substantial efficiency gains and enabling advanced rendering capabilities to compete in high-resolution gaming markets. AMD targeted a 50% improvement in performance per watt compared to the first-generation RDNA architecture, achieved through architectural refinements and advanced process technology. This efficiency focus aimed to support more demanding workloads while maintaining competitive power consumption, particularly for discrete GPUs and console integrations.[12] A key advancement was the introduction of hardware-accelerated ray tracing, marking RDNA 2's first dedicated support for real-time ray tracing effects such as realistic reflections, shadows, and global illumination. This feature, combined with full compliance to DirectX 12 Ultimate, enabled mesh shaders for streamlined geometry processing, variable rate shading to optimize rendering performance by varying detail levels across the screen, and sampler feedback to improve texture caching and reduce redundant sampling. These additions were intended to elevate visual fidelity in games without prohibitive performance costs, with AMD emphasizing playable ray tracing at 1440p resolutions as a core target, extending to 4K in optimized scenarios.[13][14] RDNA 2 also emphasized enhanced instruction execution for broader workload versatility, building on the scalar general-purpose instructions introduced in the prior RDNA generation to improve utilization in both graphics pipelines and compute tasks. By prioritizing scalar operations for control flow and uniform data handling, the architecture reduced overhead in shader execution, contributing to better overall throughput. Additionally, the integration of Infinity Cache—a large, on-package last-level cache—addressed memory subsystem challenges by reducing latency and bandwidth demands, allowing for effective performance at lower memory interface widths while minimizing trips to off-chip DRAM.[4] Fabricated on TSMC's 7 nm (N7P) process node, RDNA 2 achieved overall transistor efficiency gains, supporting higher clock speeds and up to a 30% uplift in instructions per clock (IPC) for shader workloads compared to RDNA 1, as targeted in development.[1] This process shift, alongside architectural tweaks, enabled RDNA 2 to power next-generation consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, focusing on 1440p and 4K gaming experiences with ray tracing enabled.Architecture
Compute units and workgroup processors
The RDNA 2 architecture introduces the Workgroup Processor (WGP) as the fundamental unit of shader computation, consisting of a pair of Compute Units (CUs) that share resources such as the Local Data Share (LDS) memory and scalar caches, enabling more efficient workgroup execution compared to the standalone CU design in RDNA 1.[15] This pairing allows each WGP to support 128 stream processors (shaders), doubling the 64 shaders per CU in RDNA 1 and facilitating larger workgroups with up to 1024 work-items across 32 Wave32 wavefronts or 16 Wave64 wavefronts.[16] By grouping CUs into WGPs, RDNA 2 optimizes resource allocation for compute and graphics workloads, reducing overhead in synchronization and data sharing within workgroups.[15] Each CU in RDNA 2 contains 64 stream processors organized into two SIMD32 units, each capable of executing 32 threads in parallel, with support for both Wave32 and Wave64 wavefront sizes where Wave64 operates via dual-issue of two Wave32 instructions.[16] The scalar ALUs within each CU are enhanced to support dual-issue capabilities, allowing two scalar instructions to execute per cycle, which improves control flow handling and reduces latency in branching operations compared to prior architectures.[16] Additionally, each SIMD supports up to 16-way simultaneous multithreading (SMT) by tracking 16 wavefronts concurrently, limited by register file size (1024 vector registers per SIMD), enabling better occupancy and hiding of latency from divergent branches or memory stalls without dedicated branch prediction hardware.[16] For AI workloads, RDNA 2 incorporates matrix core instructions like V_DOT2_F32_F16, which perform packed FP16 dot products with FP32 accumulation in a single SIMD unit, accelerating inferencing tasks while maintaining compatibility with general-purpose compute.[15] RDNA 2 integrates support for primitive shaders and mesh shaders directly into its shader pipeline, allowing developers to replace fixed-function geometry stages with programmable compute shaders for more flexible and efficient geometry processing, as part of DirectX 12 Ultimate feature compatibility.[16] This enables variable-rate shading and amplification of primitives on-the-fly, reducing overdraw and improving performance in complex scenes without altering the core CU structure.[16] The execution pipeline in each CU begins with a front-end that handles instruction fetch and decode, dispatching wavefronts to the appropriate SIMD units via a scheduler that prioritizes ready instructions to minimize stalls.[15] The execution units include two 32-wide vector ALUs per CU for FP32, INT32, and lower-precision operations, paired with the dual-issue scalar units for control and immediate operations, achieving single-cycle issue for Wave32 wavefronts.[16] Each CU integrates four texture mapping units (TMUs) for sampling and filtering, supporting up to 32 address calculations per cycle across the WGP, and one render output unit (ROP) for pixel blending and depth/stencil operations, ensuring balanced rasterization throughput.[4]Ray tracing hardware
RDNA 2 introduces dedicated hardware ray tracing acceleration through Ray Accelerators (RAs), marking the first AMD graphics architecture to feature such capabilities.[4] Each Compute Unit (CU) includes one RA, integrated into the texture processing pipeline, enabling efficient handling of ray intersection tests while leveraging the broader compute infrastructure.[17] This design allows for one ray-triangle intersection or up to four ray-box intersections per clock cycle per RA, accelerating key operations in ray tracing pipelines.[18] The RAs primarily focus on intersection computations, including ray-triangle intersections for direct geometry hits and ray-box intersections for traversing bounding volume hierarchies (BVHs).[17] BVH traversal itself is managed by shader cores, which dispatch rays and process node data, passing intersection tasks to the RAs via specialized texture instructions.[17] Ray generation is also handled by shaders, allowing flexible primary ray creation integrated with the rasterization pipeline for hybrid rendering approaches.[4] This shader-RA synergy supports advanced effects like global illumination and denoising, where shaders perform post-intersection processing to refine ray-traced outputs.[17] RDNA 2's ray tracing hardware is compatible with industry-standard APIs, including DirectX Raytracing (DXR) for top-level and bottom-level acceleration structures, as well as Vulkan ray tracing extensions.[4] This enables real-time ray tracing in applications such as games, with Cyberpunk 2077 demonstrating its use for dynamic lighting and reflections.[17] By offloading intersection-heavy workloads from general-purpose shaders, the RAs improve efficiency in mixed rasterization and ray tracing workflows, though full pipeline performance depends on shader execution for traversal and compositing.[18]Memory subsystem and Infinity Cache
The memory subsystem in the RDNA 2 architecture builds on a multi-level cache hierarchy designed to optimize data access for graphics and compute workloads, featuring per-compute unit (CU) and workgroup processor (WGP) caches alongside a shared L2 cache and the innovative Infinity Cache as a large L3 level. Each WGP, which encompasses two CUs, includes a 32 KB L0 instruction and scalar cache for rapid access to shader instructions and constants. Additionally, a 128 KB L1 data cache is provided per shader array, where each array typically groups multiple WGPs to facilitate shared access and reduce latency for vector operations within the compute pipeline. The L2 cache, shared across the entire GPU at 4 MB for high-end configurations, serves as an intermediate layer that aggregates requests from the L1 caches and feeds into the Infinity Cache or main memory, helping to balance bandwidth demands across the die.[19][16] A key innovation in RDNA 2 is the Infinity Cache, a 128 MB L3 cache on high-end dies implemented as on-die SRAM to provide low-latency, high-bandwidth access for the entire graphics core, acting as a global pool between the L2 and off-chip memory. This cache operates in a separate clock domain to minimize power overhead while capturing temporal data reuse patterns common in gaming and rendering tasks, effectively amplifying available memory bandwidth without increasing the physical interface size. In gaming workloads at 4K resolution, the Infinity Cache achieves average hit rates of around 56-58% across popular titles, which reduces the effective memory bandwidth requirements by approximately 50% compared to architectures without such a large last-level cache.[1][20][16] RDNA 2 supports GDDR6 memory at speeds up to 16 Gbps, paired with a 256-bit bus on high-end dies like Navi 21 to deliver raw bandwidth of 512 GB/s. The Infinity Cache's high hit rates translate this into effective bandwidth exceeding 900 GB/s in select 4K gaming scenarios, as the cache intercepts a majority of L2 misses before they reach the slower GDDR6, thereby lowering overall latency and power consumption for memory-intensive operations. This design prioritizes efficiency in bandwidth-constrained environments, enabling competitive performance in rasterization and ray tracing without relying on wider buses or higher-speed memory types.[21][1]Media engine
The media engine in RDNA 2 GPUs is built around the Video Core Next (VCN) 3.0 unified video engine, which handles both encoding and decoding tasks for a range of video formats. This engine provides hardware acceleration for AV1 decoding at up to 8K resolution, H.265/HEVC encoding and decoding, VP9 decoding, and H.264 encoding and decoding, enabling efficient processing of high-resolution video content.[22][23] In larger RDNA 2 dies such as Navi 21, the media engine incorporates dual VCN instances, allowing for simultaneous encoding of H.264 and HEVC streams at 4K60, which supports multi-stream workflows for content creators and streamers without performance bottlenecks. The engine also includes support for Scalable Video Coding (SVC) in H.264, facilitating adaptive bitrate streaming by enabling spatial, temporal, and quality scalability to optimize video delivery over varying network conditions.[24][25] Display capabilities have been enhanced with the Display Core Next (DCN) 2.1 pipeline, supporting up to four simultaneous displays. RDNA 2 integrates HDMI 2.1 with 48 Gbps bandwidth, enabling uncompressed 8K at 120 Hz or 4K at 240 Hz, along with features like Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) for smoother playback.[8][23] Relative to the VCN 2.x in RDNA 1, the RDNA 2 media engine introduces AV1 decode support, significantly improving efficiency for emerging video standards and future-proofing applications in content creation and consumption.[22]Process technology and fabrication
RDNA 2 GPUs are manufactured by TSMC on their 7 nm process node, specifically the performance-enhanced N7P variant, which employs deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography without the use of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) for the discrete Radeon RX 6000 series dies.[26][4] This node provides a balance of density and efficiency suitable for high-performance graphics, enabling the integration of advanced features like ray tracing accelerators and Infinity Cache within a monolithic die structure.[27] The fabrication process supports high transistor densities, exemplified by the full Navi 21 die's approximately 26.8 billion transistors across a 520 mm² area.[19] TSMC's mature 7 nm production yields have facilitated the binning of larger dies into smaller configurations for mid-range and entry-level GPUs, such as deriving Navi 22 and Navi 23 from Navi 21 silicon by disabling unused portions.[23] Although RDNA 2 employs monolithic dies rather than a chiplet design, the architecture incorporates modular elements in its compute unit layout, allowing flexible scaling across product tiers while maintaining compatibility with the 7 nm node.[28] Power delivery network optimizations in the design accommodate TDPs over 300 W for flagship desktop variants, leveraging refinements in the 7 nm process for efficient voltage regulation and thermal management.[20] This contrasts with later iterations like RDNA 3, which adopted 5 nm nodes with EUV for further density improvements.Clock speeds and power efficiency
The RDNA 2 architecture operates with base clock speeds typically ranging from 1.0 to 1.5 GHz across its various die implementations, enabling efficient baseline performance for diverse workloads. Boost clocks, which dynamically increase under optimal conditions, can reach up to 2.5 GHz on high-end configurations, allowing the architecture to deliver elevated computational throughput during demanding tasks such as gaming or rendering.[29][16] A key advancement in RDNA 2 is its power efficiency, achieving up to a 50% improvement in performance per watt compared to the RDNA 1 architecture, as measured in FP32 operations per watt. This uplift stems from architectural optimizations including enhanced instructions per clock (IPC), higher sustainable clock rates, and more efficient shader execution, which collectively reduce energy consumption without sacrificing output. The efficiency can be contextualized through the relation perf/watt = (IPC × clock × number of shaders) / power, where RDNA 2's design contributes a 50% gain primarily from IPC and clock improvements.[30][31][32] To manage power dynamically, RDNA 2 incorporates voltage and frequency scaling mechanisms, adapting operational frequencies and voltages in real-time based on workload demands, thermal limits, and power budgets. This enables fine-grained control over energy use, balancing performance and heat generation across scenarios. Thermal design power (TDP) for RDNA 2 implementations spans from around 50 W in mobile variants to over 300 W in high-performance desktop configurations, accommodating a wide range of form factors from integrated solutions to discrete graphics cards.[4][23]GPU dies
| Die name | Process node | Die size (mm²) | Transistor count (billions) | Maximum Compute Units | Infinity Cache size | Memory interface width |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navi 21 | 7 nm | 519 | 26.8 | 80 | 128 MB | 256-bit |
| Navi 22 | 7 nm | 335 | 17.2 | 40 | 96 MB | 192-bit |
| Navi 23 | 7 nm | 237 | 11.06 | 32 | 32 MB | 128-bit |
| Navi 24 | 6 nm | 107 | 5.4 | 16 | 16 MB | 64-bit |
Navi 21
The Navi 21, codenamed Sienna Cichlid, is the largest and most capable GPU die in AMD's RDNA 2 lineup, serving as the foundation for high-end discrete graphics solutions. Fabricated using TSMC's 7 nm process node, it measures 519 mm² in die area and integrates 26.8 billion transistors, enabling significant parallelism and efficiency gains over prior generations. This scale allows for robust support of advanced rendering techniques, including hardware-accelerated ray tracing and variable rate shading, while maintaining compatibility with the broader RDNA 2 architectural features like dual-issue scalar and vector execution pipelines. In its full configuration, Navi 21 comprises 80 compute units (CUs) grouped into 40 workgroup processors (WGPs), delivering 5,120 stream processors for general-purpose and graphics workloads, alongside 80 dedicated ray tracing accelerators—one per CU—for real-time ray intersection calculations. It also incorporates 128 MB of Infinity Cache, a high-bandwidth last-level cache that reduces latency to off-chip memory by serving frequently accessed data locally, thereby enhancing performance in cache-sensitive scenarios such as texture filtering and ray tracing traversal. The die supports a 256-bit GDDR6 memory interface, configurable for up to 16 GB of high-speed memory to handle demanding 4K and beyond resolutions. Navi 21's power profile is rated at up to 300 W TDP for the fully enabled reference design, balancing peak performance with thermal constraints in discrete cards; however, binned variants disable portions of the array to achieve lower power envelopes, such as 250 W or below, for optimized efficiency in varied system integrations. Custom implementations of the Navi 21 architecture power next-generation consoles, including the PlayStation 5's GPU with 36 CUs clocked up to 2.23 GHz and the Xbox Series X's with 52 CUs at 1.825 GHz, tailoring the die's capabilities to integrated APU designs with shared system memory.Navi 22
The Navi 22 GPU die, codenamed Navy Flounder, serves as the mid-range silicon in AMD's RDNA 2 lineup, balancing computational density with cost efficiency for mainstream applications.[33] Fabricated on TSMC's 7 nm process node, it measures 335 mm² in area and integrates 17.2 billion transistors, enabling a compact yet capable design suitable for 1440p gaming workloads.[33][34] At its core, Navi 22 features 40 compute units organized into 20 workgroup processors, delivering 2560 stream processors for general-purpose shading tasks.[33] It includes 40 ray accelerators, one per compute unit, to support hardware-accelerated ray tracing as part of the RDNA 2 architecture's integrated ray tracing capabilities.[23] Complementing this is 96 MB of Infinity Cache, a high-bandwidth on-die L3 cache that reduces reliance on external memory and enhances performance in bandwidth-sensitive scenarios.[23][33] Navi 22 supports a 192-bit GDDR6 memory interface, with configurations up to 12 GB of VRAM, providing sufficient capacity for mid-range discrete graphics solutions.[35] Typical thermal design power (TDP) ratings range from 200 W to 250 W for desktop variants, positioning it as an efficient option optimized for 1440p resolution gaming and content creation.[35] For mobile implementations, lower power bins are available, such as in laptop GPUs with TGPs around 135 W, adapting the die for thermal-constrained environments while retaining core RDNA 2 features.[36]Navi 23
The Navi 23 GPU die, codenamed Dimgrey Cavefish, serves as the foundation for mainstream, value-oriented implementations within AMD's RDNA 2 architecture, targeting mid-range performance in both desktop and mobile segments. Fabricated on TSMC's 7 nm process node, it features a die size of 237 mm² and contains 11.06 billion transistors, enabling efficient scaling for cost-effective graphics solutions. This design balances compute density with power constraints, supporting up to 32 compute units organized into 16 workgroup processors, which provide a total of 2048 stream processors for general-purpose and graphics workloads. Additionally, it integrates 32 ray accelerators for hardware-accelerated ray tracing and 32 MB of Infinity Cache to enhance memory access efficiency in bandwidth-limited configurations.[37][38][39] Navi 23's memory subsystem employs a 128-bit interface for GDDR6 memory, typically configured with 8 GB capacity at effective speeds up to 16 Gbps, delivering bandwidth around 256 GB/s that is augmented by the on-die Infinity Cache to mitigate limitations of the narrower bus. This setup prioritizes affordability over high-end throughput, making it suitable for 1080p and 1440p gaming without excessive VRAM demands. The die's flexible binning allows for varied enablement of compute units—ranging from 28 to 32 active CUs across implementations—while maintaining compatibility with the broader RDNA 2 memory hierarchy.[37][40][41] In terms of power consumption, Navi 23 operates within a TDP envelope of 132–160 W for desktop variants, with mobile configurations scaling down to 65–100 W total graphics power to fit laptop thermal designs. This versatility stems from its modular RDNA 2 compute structure, allowing dynamic clocking up to 2.6 GHz boost in higher-binned parts. Production of Navi 23 persisted into 2023 to support ongoing demand for mid-range RDNA 2 products, extending its lifecycle amid the transition to subsequent architectures, before AMD reportedly ceased manufacturing later that year.[37][41][42][43]Navi 24
The Navi 24, codenamed Beige Goby, is AMD's smallest GPU die in the RDNA 2 family, designed primarily for entry-level discrete graphics in desktop and mobile configurations, emphasizing compact size and efficiency for budget-oriented applications. Fabricated on TSMC's 6 nm process node, it measures 107 mm² and contains 5.4 billion transistors, enabling a dense layout suitable for low-power envelopes while maintaining RDNA 2 architectural features like dual-issue wavefront execution and primitive shaders.[44][45] This die supports up to 16 compute units organized into 8 workgroup processors, delivering 1024 stream processors and 16 ray accelerators for hardware-accelerated ray tracing, providing capable performance in 1080p gaming and content creation without the scale of larger Navi siblings.[45][46] A key efficiency feature of the Navi 24 is its 16 MB Infinity Cache, which serves as a high-speed on-die L3 cache to mitigate the limitations of its narrow memory subsystem and reduce latency for frequently accessed data.[47] The die pairs with a 64-bit GDDR6 memory interface supporting up to 4 GB of VRAM at effective speeds up to 18 Gbps, delivering bandwidth around 144 GB/s that, combined with the cache, targets smooth 1080p experiences in modern titles at medium settings.[48][49] This configuration optimizes the Navi 24 for power-constrained scenarios, with thermal design power (TDP) ratings spanning 50–107 W for discrete cards like the Radeon RX 6500 XT and lower 25–50 W variants in mobile implementations such as the RX 6500M and RX 6300M.[50][51] In mobile discrete roles, the Navi 24 excels in thin-and-light laptops, where its reduced feature set—such as the halved Infinity Cache compared to mid-range dies—contributes to better thermal management and battery life without sacrificing core RDNA 2 capabilities like variable rate shading.[46] Overall, the Navi 24's design philosophy centers on accessibility, making RDNA 2's advancements available in cost-sensitive segments while achieving competitive power efficiency through process shrinks and targeted optimizations.[52]Products
Desktop GPUs
The Radeon RX 6000 series comprises AMD's desktop discrete GPUs built on the RDNA 2 architecture, targeting consumer gaming markets from entry-level to high-end segments. Launched starting in late 2020, these cards competed directly with Nvidia's GeForce RTX 30-series, offering ray tracing and variable rate shading support while emphasizing rasterization performance and value in 1080p, 1440p, and 4K resolutions.[1] High-end models utilize the Navi 21 GPU die and focus on premium 4K gaming. The Radeon RX 6900 XT, released on December 8, 2020, serves as the flagship with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, delivering leadership performance in demanding titles.[21] The Radeon RX 6800 XT, launched November 18, 2020, provides similar capabilities at a lower price point, targeting enthusiasts seeking high-frame-rate 4K experiences.[53] Complementing these, the Radeon RX 6800 also debuted on November 18, 2020, balancing power and efficiency for 4K gaming without the extreme overclocking focus of its XT variant.[54] In the mid-range segment, cards based on the Navi 22 and Navi 23 dies address 1440p and 1080p gaming needs. The Radeon RX 6700 XT, powered by Navi 22 and released March 3, 2021, excels in high-refresh-rate 1440p play with 12 GB of GDDR6.[55] The Radeon RX 6600 XT, using Navi 23 and launched August 11, 2021, targets 1080p and entry 1440p markets, offering solid performance for mainstream gamers.[56] Entry-level options leverage the Navi 24 die for budget-conscious 1080p setups. The Radeon RX 6500 XT, introduced January 19, 2022, features 4 GB of GDDR6 and suits light gaming and esports.[48] Similarly, the Radeon RX 6400, also released January 19, 2022, provides compact, low-power 1080p performance in a single-slot form factor.[57] A later refresh, the Radeon RX 6750 GRE based on Navi 22, launched October 17, 2023, primarily for the Chinese market to clear inventory, offering mid-range 1440p capabilities at reduced pricing.[58] By 2025, the RX 6000 series has transitioned to legacy status but receives ongoing driver support through AMD's maintenance path, ensuring compatibility with new games and features.[5][59]Mobile GPUs
The Radeon RX 6000M series represents AMD's mobile discrete GPUs based on the RDNA 2 architecture, optimized for gaming laptops with a focus on balancing performance and power efficiency under thermal constraints. Launched in 2021, these GPUs target high-end to entry-level segments, utilizing the Navi 22, Navi 23, and Navi 24 dies to deliver ray tracing, variable rate shading, and mesh shaders in portable form factors. High-end models like the Radeon RX 6800M and its RX 6850M XT variant, built on the Navi 22 die, were introduced for premium gaming laptops capable of 1440p and 4K gaming at configurable total graphics power (TGP) levels up to 145 W.[60][61][62] In the mid-range tier, the Radeon RX 6700M and RX 6600M, both leveraging the Navi 23 die, debuted in 2021 to support 1440p mobile gaming and high-refresh 1080p experiences, respectively. The RX 6700M features 40 compute units and operates at a 135 W TDP, providing up to 10.6 TFLOPS of FP32 performance for demanding titles.[63][64] The RX 6600M, with 28 compute units, targets a 100 W TDP envelope, emphasizing efficiency for thinner chassis while maintaining competitive rasterization and ray-traced performance.[65][66] Entry-level options arrived in 2022 with the Radeon RX 6500M and RX 6300M, both powered by the smaller Navi 24 die for slim laptops and budget gaming. The RX 6500M, with 16 compute units and a 50 W TDP, suits 1080p entry-level play in compact designs, delivering around 4.5 TFLOPS.[47][67] The RX 6300M further reduces to 14 compute units at a 35 W TDP, prioritizing low power for ultrathin systems while supporting modern features like hardware-accelerated ray tracing.[68][51] Across the series, TDPs range from 35 W to 145 W, allowing OEMs to tailor configurations for battery life and acoustics, with many implementations supporting MUX switches for direct GPU-to-display output to minimize latency.[69][62] By November 2025, RDNA 2 mobile GPUs remain integrated into select RX 7000-era laptop designs as legacy options, though AMD has shifted them to a maintenance driver path focused on stability, security fixes, and select game optimizations rather than full day-zero support for new titles.[70][71]| Model | Die | Compute Units | Memory | TDP (W) | Launch Year | Target Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX 6800M | Navi 22 | 40 | 12 GB GDDR6 | 145 | 2021 | High-end 1440p/4K gaming |
| RX 6850M XT | Navi 22 | 40 | 12 GB GDDR6 | 145 | 2021 | Premium 1440p/4K gaming |
| RX 6700M | Navi 23 | 40 | 10 GB GDDR6 | 135 | 2021 | Mid-range 1440p gaming |
| RX 6600M | Navi 23 | 28 | 8 GB GDDR6 | 100 | 2021 | Mid-range 1080p gaming |
| RX 6500M | Navi 24 | 16 | 4 GB GDDR6 | 50 | 2022 | Entry-level 1080p |
| RX 6300M | Navi 24 | 14 | 2 GB GDDR6 | 35 | 2022 | Entry-level thin laptops |